Quote:
Originally Posted by R. Scott Clark  A seminary can't make ecclesiastical judgments but it can and must make judgments relative to its own commitment to the standards. WSC profs do swear an oath to God and the board not to teach anything contrary to the system of doctrine (which IS the Reformed confessions).
We have a disciplinary procedure etc that is roughly parallel to the sort of thing a session/presbytery would do. |
How is that not an ecclesiastical judgment, esp. in light of the fact that you are judging one’s confessional commitment? Does the confessional interpretation of the faculty/board trump that of the minister’s own presbytery/classis?
Quote:
Originally Posted by R. Scott Clark At the same time our MDiv faculty are ministers and accountable to consistories/sessions and to presbyteries/classes.
|
Exactly. I don't mean to be provocative, but what I see here is the parachurch intruding into the strict prerogatives of the Church, which alone has the power to judge faith and practice, the potential result being the tarnished reputation of one of Christ’s own.
The Church is the guardian of the faith, and I do not find it in her constitution where she may hand that responsibility over to a non-ecclesiastical organization.